Apparatus for removing solids from fluids



Aug. 27, 1935. F. w. KERNS ET AL 2,012,567

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLIDS FROM FLUIDS Filed Nov. 14, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .ZE. 1 Wafer Level in lnfa/rm l INVENTORS.

6 BY 'ZJEI/uum/ 7M 1935- F. w. KERNS ETAL 2,012,567

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLIDS FROM FLUIDS Filed Nov 14, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTORS.

BY n

Q/p m ATTOR YS.

Aug. 27, 1935. F. w. KERNS ET AL 2,012,567

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLIDS FROM FLUIDS Filed Nov. 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ja mi A TT O R s.

Patented Aug. 27, 1935 I 2,012,561 i APPARATUS FOR, REMOVING SOLIDS FROM FLUIDS W Frank W. Kerns, Berkeley,and warren' Egbert; Q

Oakland, Calif.

Application November 14 1932, Serial No..'64;2,574 "15 Claims. (01.209411;

This invention relates to anapparatus for removing solids from fluids andparticularly to improvements on the apparatus disclosedin-"o'ur former patent entitled Method and means for removing sand and the like from fluids, Patent Number 1,880,135, issued September 2'7, 1932 The objectof'the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the constructionand I operation'of an apparatusof the character de.

scribed; to provide an apparatus in which solids maybe removed regardless of the fact that their specific gravity may be greater or less than that of water or the. medium in which they'are oon-" tained; toprovide an apparatus in which centripetal actiomfriction and gravity are, employed to separate solids from fluids; to provide an apparatus in which continuous removal of solids from ,a

flowing stream may be obtained; to provide'an apparatus which is so constructed that it lends it- Q self to substantially any capacity required; to provide an apparatus in which the flowing stream carrying the solidsto be removed is divided into a number of superposed shallow streams whereby solid matter will be given an opportunity to'jquiokly settle to the bottom of the shallow streams where it will be removed by centripetal action; to

provide an apparatus wherein the velocity of a flowingstream containingmatter to be separated may be'readily regulatedduring its flow through theapparatus; and further, to provide an apparatus inwhich solid matter carried by the: flowing stream may be uniformly distributed so as to prevent overloading of any part of the apparatus.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Fig; 1 is a central vertical section'of the apparatus. I 7

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section taken on line IIII of-Fig.1. Q

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 1 showing that form of the apparatus employed when water or like fluids contain matter which floats.

Fig. 4is an enlargeddetail View showing'the rings placed between the inner edges of the plates of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. ,5 is a vertical section taken online.VV

of Fig.2. V Fig. 6 is a'diagrammatic view illustrating cross flow ina curved'conduit,

' Fig. 7 is a verticalsctiori showing a modified inlet and outlet for thetypeof apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing a modifled form of the apparatus, said Viewbeing partially broken away.

- 9 is 3 plan View section taken on line IX -IX of Fig. 10." i A i Fig.8. Referringto' the drawings in detail, and; par-1 ticularly Figs. 1 and2,'A indicatesanouter casing Fig. 10 isa cross section taken on line XX of I substantially ciroularkin cross section, and B an inner cas ng which is also substantially cylindri-X cal in cross section. Formed between these cas I I ings is a conduit or passage d towhichwateris, continuously admittedat one end through afl'ume orother conduit, such asindicated at D, andyfrom the opposite end of which th'e Waterdischarges intothe inner cylinder B. at the pointgF; This passage has a bottom plate 3 and a top' platel and between these plates are a plurality p'fspaced superposed plates 5' whereby the stream of water tally into 'a pluralityyof shallow streams. F

The main function of the present apparatus is that of separating solid matter from a flowing stream of water or-like fluid The solid matter may have i a specific gravity greater than that of -water or the fluid containing the same; andin. I that 'case,f'the solidswillisettlefand will heremoved. The apparatus shown in' Figs. 1 and.2 is

flowing through the passageis divided horizon-g f particularly. intended for separating" solids have ing a specific gravity greater than-the fluids con-' taining the same. Fig.3 shows an apparatus in which fluid containing floating and settling solid.

matter may be separated from aicontinu ously' flowing stream' ofwater, fluid, or the like; but this will be later described.

V In Figs. 1 and 2 an annularchamber 5 is formed between theinner. edges of the plates 5 and the wall of the .inner. cylinder or casing B. Thisj chamber will, during operation, contain a' body of substantially nonflowing watfir'and the" solid? matter separated from the continuouslyflowing stream will enter this body of water and will settle therein. The bottom of theinner casing -or;cy1'-"- inder Bis cone-shaped. as shown at], andithe bottom 3 of the'conduit is extended toform af'cooperating cone-'shapedbottom section 8. A plu-f rality of verticallydisposed bafile plates Sare pe sitioned' betweenj th'einner edges of the platesj' and the inner wall of" the conduit; orin other v words, the exterior; surface of thecasing or cyl -j inder B, and these baflle plates are extended down under the cone-shaped" bottom. IV to the point indicated at). The baiileplates serve twoiun'cg tions, first that of preventing'any flowingorfswirl ing motion in the body of substantiallynon-flows. ing water. or'in other words the chamberlitjandj secondly'that of preventing by-passing of water" from one side or the conduit to the other through rthe chamber 6; This feature will be later described.

The conduit D,whether it be a pipe, a fiume, or otherwise, is connected with the inlet of'the apparatus at thepoint indicated at l2. Where water carries sand, silt, or the like, there is a acter are encountered, the bottom of the conduit D is elevated, as shown at; Ill;see l ig. 5, and where the conduit connects with the inlet the bottom section is dropped abruptly or pitched on a steep 'angle,-. as indicated at |5,- so thatranytus, it is immediately divided by the superposed plates 5'into anumber of shallow streams' The sand or other solid matter carried by the water is at the sametirne uniformly distributed between the plates and asthe waterflows through thefcira cular conduit C between theplate's,. t he sand or solidimatter contained will settle on the surfaces of the plates where centripetal action .will act on the sand or solid matter and cause it to move inwardly toward the inner edges of .the plates,

where it will drop off the inner edges into the annularachamber' 6', or in other words enter the body of substantially non fiowing water where it is permitted tossettle 3 and to be discharged through the pipe or conduit 16. The flow through said conduitmaybe intermittent or it may be a continuous; for instan'caby providinga valve I] which is partially openedso as to permit a small stream of waterand the sand collected to continuou sly discharge As the w water passes between the plates in the conduit C, separation of the solid matter continues,"and ii the conduit is of proper length, all solid matter would beremoved by the time thewater reaches the discharge end F. The water will here enter the inner cylinder or casing B' and will rise therein' and finally discharge througha conduit or outlet l8, this outlet being placed atan elevation slightly belowthe delivery conduitDsothat gravital fiow of water. will be insured and velocity through the conduit controlled; The difference in head between the discharge outlet I8'and the inlet conduit D is diagrammatically illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig.1, said lines indicating that' the-flume or inlet conduit D isatan elevation'slightly above that of the discharge I8, in fact, the elevation maintained beingonly slightlyfi'n' excess ofthe friction head produced bythe' apparatus as a comparatively low velocity throughthe conduit C is desirable.

ferred 'to', nevertheless, it may be. briefly stated that where; water flows through, a circular or curved conduit, such ashere shown, there is a crossor lateral flowestablished, as indicated by' the arrows see Fig.6; theflower half of the water flowing in the direction of the arrows indicated, and the'upper half flowing in the direction-of the arrowsnindicated.WHence, if water is passed lateral fiow of the current is in the direction of I arrows a and b the solid matter will work toward the inner edges of the plates 23 and 24, and if these plates are arranged in an apparatus, such as here illustrated, the solid matter will enter the chamber 6 containing the body of substantially non-flowing water, and as such will either rise or settle therein, In the present apparatus the plates 5 are closely spaced and actual practice has determined that "the spacing may be' onequarter of an'inch or less. Such spacing promotes separation of solid matter from water.

-For instance, a solid particle had to settle a distance of one foot before reaching a surface where it could be acted upon by centripetal ac- H 'tion; iii-might pass through the apparatus before sand flowing along the floor or bottom of the"v it would settle but where it has only a quarter of conduit will be thrown into suspension and .will

an inch to rise orjsettle it is fairly certain that it will engage one of the plates 23 or 24 and thus ibeactedupon by the lateral flowing currents a orbso as 'to be discharged into the chamber 6.

tains matter having a' specific gravity greater than that ofwater but where matter having a specific gravity less than water is encountered the. plates, should be laterally inclined in an upward direction. Hence, where only heavy ma-' terial is beingremovedthe plates are inclined laterally in. a downward direction, as shown in Fig. 1, this being an advantage as separatingacj tion is not only .obtained by the lateral flowing currents at and b' referred ,to as centripetal ac-, tion, but separation isalso promoted by gravitational action when the plates are inclined.

By referring to Fig. '1, 'it will be noted that the inner edges of the plateare. bent at an angle, as shown at 30, which is greater than the lateral angle offlthefmain mayor the plates. The flange or angular extension on the inner edge of each plate, indicated at 30, serves the following func tion. In actual practice it has been found that eddy currents. are sometimesset up betweenthe bafile plates 9v and that where a'grainof sand is approaching the edge of the plate the, eddy current will sometimes repulse the centripetal force or lateral currents at and 1) whereby the solid matter tends to be thrown back from the inner,

edges of the plates, but by bending the flange 39 on the inner edges'of the plates the eddy cur-,;

rents have little force compared to the force'of gravity at the'inner edges of the plates. is, as a grain of sand travels toward the inner edges of the plates it strikes the abrupt incline 30' and the gravitational force has thus. greater action and the grain of sand will not be repulsed, or thrown back by an eddy current that may exist, hence the inclined flanges 30 are of considerable importance.

Where fluid or water containing so1id matter havinga specific gravity greater than water, and

also contains matter having a specific gravity less than water, the form" of apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is employed. In this case the plates, indi-' cated at Sat, are'horizontally disposed, The apparatusis constructed identical to that shown in Fig.1, with the exception that a cone-shaped top 8asimilar to the cone-shaped bottom 8 is em- That 3 and 4. These rings; are supported-between 15 tween-them;-.the spacinghowever, is sufficient to ployed. That is, solid matter, having a specific water orotherfiuidzmediumicontaining solids to f f gravity'greaterthan water will enter the cham--v ber 5a and settle downwardly between the .baf-- fie plates to be discharged by the pipe lfia whil'e matter having a specific gravity less than water will rise upwardly through the chamber id. and will be discharged through pipe 33.; In this structure it is not possible to inclinenthe plates, 5 as it would favor'separation of ,one substance and hinder separationof ,the other; It .is for.

this reason that the plates are horizontally disposed. If floating matter only is, encountered the cone-shaped bottom sections may be entirely, eliminated and the plates may belaterally inclined upward direction: I l

It should also be noted thatrings fill are placed the plates by upper andlower lugs Bland upper and lower slots 62 and 6.3 are 1 thus. formed through which solid matter enters the chamber to, [either to settle or rise as the.case.may.be.

These; rings are of considerable importance'as,

theysubstantiallyprevent the formationof eddy currents between the vertically disposed baffle plates ea. i

Byagain referring to Figs l and 2, it will be noted that the vertically disposed baflle plates '9 extend downwardly under the cone-shaped 'bottom section 'I of the'innerv cylinder or casing B This is important as it forms a baffle-to prevent water from the conduit C passing through the chamber 6 and over to the other side of the conduityfor instance, if waterentering the inlet I2 1 should pass inwardlyand downwardly through the chamberli at ,the point. indicatedat-34 it could makeashortcut through this chamber and come upat the 'pointindicated at 35; Such short-cutting or by-passing of the water from onepartofthe conduit to the other is, however, prevented by, the extensionson the baflie plates.-

That is, bycarrying the bafile plates down under the cone-shaped bottom to the pointindicated at ll), they become closelyspaced at the lowarends andgas such choke or resist any flow-or"- water'bethus escape through the pipe l6. By referring to Fig. 2; it will permit sand or othe'nsolids to pass between, and

the spacing increases toward the discharge end.

' The importance of this feature will be as follows:- -'='The.pressure and velocity" at the entrance end are considerably greater than at the dischargeend It has. also beenljstated that the solids entering the chamber 6 mambo, continuously removed from the lower part of due to friction loss.

the chamber and that this is accomplished by leaving valve l'l partially open If'thevalve is partially open there willbea slow butcontinuous down flow of water'in chamberG/arid, ii the spacing between the fbaflieplates .9 was equal the greatest flow wouldbe at the point of high est pressure and velocity, hence if a uniform downward flow throughjthc annular ,chamberris g V be noted that the L spacing between the lower ends oigthebaflleh plates is "fairly closeat the entrancefland that be removed enters at; the point l2. At this point the streampfffluid is divided intoia number of superposed-shallow streams. -These streams pass conduit l8, all solid matter being removed by the combined "action ofcentripetal and gravital';

action while the water is. passing over'and between the plates. 'Tlie'so'lid matter removed enters the.

chamber 6 and; is continuously, or intermittently: l dischargedthrough the pipe .16. Thecapacityof an apparatus of this character is substantially unlimited as practically any :capacity can be obtained by increasing thedistance between the bottom-and top plates '3 and 4, respectively, "and by proportionately increasing the number of in-j terposed plates'ii; hence a large'flow of water. may be taken carecfin5a;-comparative1y small app'aratus. Separation" of solids from wate gtora flowing I through" the apparatus is divided into ;a series-0f shallow streams sothatthe solid matter will have only. a short distance to settle." After it-has settled it is acted upon by-the lateral'cun rents, or in other words centripetalactiori, and" if the plates are inclined the solid matterwill-lbe additionally actedgupon by gravitational-force} imilarlfluid, dependsafirstof all upongravity I Y action and it is for this reason thatpthe' stream' hence the'separating action israpid and'isi'am other reason why a comparatively compact a'p paratus may be employed tohandle large volumes 'of the plates and form bars. This has been avoided in the present instance by gradually widening the .conduit, or in other words'by gradtinues its fiow between the plates, the velocity gradually decreases, the lowest velocitybeing obtained at the exitend of the plates. or where the water discharges through theopening E. into the y l i center of the casing; thus if the water'is heavily laden; with solids a higher velocity is desired at of fiuid. Where waterxentering': carriesgreat quantities of sand, silt,- or the like, it. was:found that thesand would settle near the entrance ends.

the entrance end so thatthe heavy materialwilli j gradually drop out anglbe more'uniiormly distrib-[ uted between the [plates during the passage of.

the, stream through the conduit; ,WhlPlditGSi of gradually increasing widthare employed,t-

either theinner or the outer wall of theconduitlfl willbe spiraliri shape. In Fig.2, the outer cas-,

ing or wall A of the conduit isshownasbeingof, slightly spiral form.; V 1 v f InFigsJ. 8 to 10,.amodified form of the ap-' dates the bottom ortne conduit; 41 the top, 42

the outer wall of the c onduit and 43 the inner wall. of the'conduit. Plates 44 are-introduced, I between the top andbottom plates-40, and ,4! of" the conduit and are closely spaced so: as to divide the. stream running through intoa number of shallow streams. {The plates are laterally in-x clined throughout i'their length andthey extend. from the point indicated at 45, which is the inlet 'paratusisdisclosed. 'In this instance 40 indi- I end,.to thepoint 46, which is theoutlet-end; see

or a similar conduit ll wh icheis Substantially Fig. 3. The inlet is suppliedwith Wat-en; or other fiuid-medium,;to be: treated by, means of a'fiume" i J identical to'that illustrated at n in Fig. 2'.

shown in Fig.- 9. The plates are laterally inclined, as shown inFig. l0,and their inneredges are flanges, as shown at 49, to form inclined'edges having a greater angle than the laterally disposed plates.

between the inner edges of theiplates andthe inner wall 43 of the conduit. Vertically' disposed bafile plates 52 are also employed in this instance and'they servetwo functions, to-wit, that of pre-' venting how and swirling motion of the water in' 1 the settling chamber, and preventing by-passing.

The lower-portion ofthe settling chamber is connected at oneorlmore points, such 'asshown at 7 5s and 54, with a dischargeconduit" 55 middle a a v be regulated-by. valve 56. or. anyother suitable means.

flow .through said conduit may The apparatus shown in the present instance does not utilizecentripetalaction inthe separation of. the solids fromfthe water,the separation being secured in the present instance by settling of thesolid matter on the upper surfaces of the plates 64 and as the'plates arelaterallyinclined and .the water or other fluid medium travels in the direction of arrow (1 the solid particles will roll down the inclined surfaces and finallyover the abrupt-flanges149. It will thus enter the settling chamberand settle. therein,lbeing finally delivered into the conduit 55 and discharged therefrom; The apparatus accordingly functions agravity separator and may be used inconjunctionwith the apparatus shown in Figs. land 2, that is, wherewater carrying a considerable proportion of heavy sand'and silt is being treated it may be advisable to get rid of most of the heavy sand before the waterenters theapparatus shown in'Figs. 1 and2; hence by placing 'the'apparatus shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in front of the inlet of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the major portion of the heavy sand may be removed thus leaving the silt and remaining matter to be removed by theapparatus wherein centripetal action functions. If heavier sand and like mate-- rial are the only material encountered, the'entire separating 'action'may be continued in the modified form-of apparatus shown'in Figs. 8'to l0. In this apparatus it may also be advisable to construct the inletiin-the manner shown in Fig. 5,

that is, the bottom of the flume or conduit. 41 is maintained at an elevation with relation to the bottom platefill but atfa'point adjacent the inlet 45. The bottom plate of the fiume is placed on a steep angle,as' shown at 60, thus permitting anyv sand which is settled along the vbottom'of the flume to beuniformly distributed between" the plates as the stream enters'between' the same.

In actual operation the water entering through the fiume 41 will immediately be divided into'av number of shallow streams by the'platesM, The

V heavier sands or other solids; contained will rapidly settle against the upper surfacesof the plates and as these are inclined laterally, as shown in Fig. 10, the particles will tend to roll'downwardly over'the plates anda's such will discharge into the settling chamber 5| and will finally bedischarged through the conduit 55; the discharge throughthe conduit 55being preferablyfcontinuous by maintaining the-valve 56 suflic'iently open to continuously discharge and carry off the solid matter ole-- .liveredto the conduit 55. The plates employed The flanges 49 terminate at the. .point 50 and a settling chamber 5 I- is thus formed preferably'incr'ease in width from e nd'to end, as shown in Fig. 9, being narrowest at the inlet and widest at the outlet. In Fig. 9 the cover plate is shown as removed and the uppermost oi the plates 44 is thus shown. This view clearly illustrates theincreasing width of the plates. g This is important as it maintains fairly high velocity at the inlet enda'nda low velocity at the discharge end. "thus permitting solid matter entering to gradually drop out as the stream is passing between the plates, thus causing a uniform distribution and removal of the solids and positively preventing cloggingand overloading of the inlet ends of the plates. 'The apparatus is substantially identical to thatdisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

It employs anouter wall 42, an inner wanna, a bottom-section 40, and atop or cover section 4|.

' A conduit isthus formedthrough whichthe water to betreated is passed and the conduit carries the plates 44", where separation takes place, and a settling chamber is formed between the inner edges of theplates and the inner wall 43 of the conduit. In fact, the only substantial difference .between'the two forms of apparatus disclosed is that'in Figs. 8 to 10,the stream flow is in a linear direction, while inFigs. 1 and 2 the strearnfi ow is a curved path. The lateral flowing currents described in conjunction with Figs. land 2, see

Fig. 6, are not produced "where a linear path is employed, hence gravity action to produce separation is solely depended upon.

Byreferring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will I be noted that considerable separating space is lost due to the space required by, the discharge end F of. the plates. Thislost space maybe materially reduced by arranging the inletandi outlet of the apparatus as shown in Fig. In this instance, Ill indicates the flume wherebywater is delivered to the apparatus. This overlies the uppermost plate .41) and endsin an upright or'like wall H. This wall terminates in a sloping plate 12, and'this directs the water inwardly between thesuperposed plates, indicated at 5. The water then flows around theapparatus between the plates 5 and finally reaches the discharge point'indicated at,

1 3. It here strikes an upwardly inclined plate 14 and the vertical plate 1| and then flows in the direction of arrow e, and as such discharges away fromthe apparatus at a point above the upper- I most plate 4b. By arranging the inlet and outlet in this manner considerable space is conserved and greater capacity for separation will be obtained.

. While certain features of the present invention aremoreorless specifically described, we wish it understood that various changes may be'resorted.

towithin the scope of the appended claims.

, Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several partsemployed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand. i Q

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

V 1'. An apparatus for separating solid matter from a continuously flowing stream of water, comprising a curved conduit adapted for continuous gravital flowoi water tobe treated, said con-. duit having a bottom and inner and outerspaced walls forming a curved passage with an inlet and anfloutlet for the continuously flowing water, a

; plurality of superposed plates extending from the inlet tothe outlet of the conduit, said plates dividing the'stream horizontally intoa plurality of shallowstreams and said plates constituting frictional retarding surfaces, said plates'having a lar passage with an inletand an outlet for the continuous gravital flow of the fluid to be treated, said conduit having a bottom and an inner and outerspaced walls forminga curved passage outer spaced walls forming a substantially circucontinuously flowing water, a plurality of superposed plates extending from the inlet to the outlet of the conduit, said plates dividing the stream horizontally into a plurality of shallow streams and said'plates constituting frictional retarding surfaces, said plates having a width lessthan the conduit toform an annular settling chamber between the inner wall of the conduit and themner edges of the plates, said chamber being in communication with the spaces between the plates and containing a body of substantiallynon i flowing water whereby solid mat er separated fromthe continuously flowing stream by centripsettling solids from a continuously flowing stream of fluid, comprising a curved conduit adapted to with an inlet and an outlet for the continuously flowing fluid, a plurality of superposed plates extending fromrthe inlet to the outlet of the conduit, said plates dividing the stream of fluid horizontally into a plurality of "shallow streamsand,

said plates constituting upper and lower frictional 1 retarding surfaces, an annular chamber formed between-the inner edges of the plates andthe inner wall of the conduit, rings placed between the inner edges of the plates and spaced therefrom to form upper and lower'slots whereby y communication is maintained between the spaces between the platesand the settling chamber, said chamber containing abody of substantially none flowing fluid whereby solid matter separated from I the continuously flowing stream by centripetal, action on the plates will enter the non-flowing body of fluid and where settling matter will settle and collect and where floating-matter will rise; and means for removing the floating matter and the settling matter. i

' FRANK W. KERNS.

' WARREN EGBERT. I 

